Written by Peter Obering

Sometimes it’s all in the packaging: Telling my 8- and 10-year-old children we’re going to spend an entire day looking at art isn’t likely to make their hearts leap—that would require a water slide or afternoon at their favorite arcade. But we’re lucky enough to be surrounded by dazzling, funky, and truly significant works of public art in Austin, available to anyone who takes the time to view them.

With its old buildings, passing trains, vintage shops, and faded storefronts, Gladewater can seem like a relic from a bygone era. Elvis Presley used to play here. So did Johnny Cash. But in another sense, Gladewater is modern: The recent arrival of a brewpub and the opening six years ago of a bed-and-breakfast have turned the official “Antique Capital of East Texas” into one of the most walkable downtowns around.

Visit Gladewater

For visitor information, contact the Gladewater Main Street Program at 215 N. Main St. Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-5 p.m.903-845-5753gladewatermainstreet.com

Every March, thousands of people from around the world descend on the capital city of Texas for South by Southwest. Now in its 32nd year, the event, which began in 1987 as a small, local music festival, has grown to include a film festival, conferences on education, comedy, technology, and gaming, as well as numerous exhibitions, showcases, and high-profile speakers.

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ABOUT TEXAS HIGHWAYS

Published monthly by the Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Highways, the official travel magazine of Texas, encourages travel to and within the Lone Star State and tells the Texas story to readers around the world.